BD, is Mrs. BD averse to southwest spices more than others? Southwest flavors may just not be her thing. You could just add some essence (BAM) to your plate after cooking. I know it's not the same, but if you lightly season it as it's cooking then season some more after plating maybe that would work for you.

Brining may be your salvation! The flavors are much more subtle and the meat is so much more tender! Another post suggested carmelizing - that's a great idea too as. My MIL and a dear friend both detest garlic...makes me crazy sometimes! Good Luck!

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Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with abandon or not at all. Oregon native transplanted to Chicago....

Regarding alcohol, ever see the movie The Water Boy with Adam Sandler? If so, you recall how Mama said pretty much everything was "ub duh Debil." So is DWs view of alcohol. Flavor content, alcohol burning out, and whatever else be d@mned, it's "ub duh Debil."

What does she like? It's rather tough to put a finger on. Believe it or not, she makes a curry chicken I love, but it's best described as a creamy curried chicken, as the curry powder is mixed with sour cream and cream of mushroom soup. The pork chops I spoke of (and am making tonight) don't specify the quantity of ground mustard, S&P, and worcestershire sauce, but I do use less then I would otherwise so she likes it.

I understand the comment about her maybe not liking the southwest spices, as I do, but even simple basic spices mixed, or even independent are not liked. I always try to use as little as I think I can get away with to see if it is met with approval. A pinch of garlic powder in a pound of ground beef for burgers is an example. Regardless of how small that pinch is, she tastes it. Yet garlic in the Fettuccini Alfredo is fine.

I do tend to like bold flavors, but I'm also far more adventuresome (sp?) when it comes to food. I like trying different flavors of ice cream, with all of the "exotic" stuff in it like nuts, marshmallow, carmel, peanut butter, fruit, or whatever. Her ice cream choices are Cookies -n- Cream, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and Chocolate Chip. Mind you I have no problems with those flavors, but not constantly! Most restaurants we go to, I can always predict what she is going to have, because it's pretty much one dish at each specific place. She doesn't even need to look at the menu. Mind you I have my favorites at specific places, but there's more to the restaurant then that one dish!

As I said, I am (hyper)sensitive when I try to sneak spices in, using them with great moderation when cooking for us both. Time is also a difficult thing to overcome, as usually after work there is little to no desire on either part to do more. Obvously this has to be overcome, but at the same time, I'd rather not make a deeply detailed dinner after work.

Maybe I should invest in Rachael Ray's 365 day/30 minute cookbook. I've watched the show and found some possibilities.

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Bearing in mind she likes garlic in your pasta sauce, and her mild chicken curry it might suggest she is is not opposed to flavour itself, but a little nervous of too much of it, and the unfamiliarity? I think the less you eat the more your are sensitive to, so I think that confirms suggestion to go gently, but try things in baby steps.

Not tonight, mainly because I don't want to mess with "perfection" or at least what is deemed good.

I like them as I make them and so does DW. Coated in crushed frosted shredded wheat (yes, as in the cereal), pan seared both sides in some VOO, and then covered while skinned whole tomatoes (sometimes hand crushed to clear the top of the pan), sprinkled with ground mustard, S&P (fresh ground), brown sugar, and several dashes of worcestershire sauce. Bake covered for an hour, then uncovered for another 15 or so.

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Integrity & Honesty

have been sacrificed on the combined altars ofControl, Political Correctness,and Convenience